Propel Newsletter Archive Page

Next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality to be released on Friday featuring more than 237,000 words of content: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will feature more than 237,000 words of content when it is released to Premium Club members on Friday (24 January), at midday. The database now features 876 companies, and this month’s edition includes 18 new additions and 129 updated entries. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent results reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. All Premium Clubs members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including Excellence in Pub Retail (May 2025) and discounts on specialist sector reports such as the Propel 500. Operators that are Premium Club members are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club members receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club members will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club members also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Marston’s reports record Christmas Day as ‘very strong’ festive trading sees lfl sales up 11%: Marston’s, the Justin Platt-led business, has reported a record Christmas Day, with “very strong” festive trading seeing a 11% like-for-like sales uplift over the two weeks around Christmas and the New Year. In a trading update for the 16 weeks to 18 January 2025, Marston’s said total retail sales in the group’s managed and partnership pubs for the 16-week period were up 3.0%, driven by growth in both food and drink sales, “demonstrating the continued appeal of Marston’s community-based estate and leading product offering”. Like-for-like sales during the same period were up 2.0%, “reflecting strong trading over the festive period offset by poor weather conditions in November and January”. During the key festive trading period, the two weeks which include the five key trading days of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, like-for-like sales were up 11.1%. Chief executive Platt said: “I am pleased to report a solid first quarter performance for Marston's, with a particularly strong key festive trading period, achieving record sales on Christmas Day. We are excited for the year ahead as we build on this performance through the successful execution of our refocused strategy, driving revenue growth through event driven marketing and the roll out of our differentiated pub formats. We remain well placed to deliver FY25 market expectations and the guidance set out at our October 2024 Capital Markets Day.” Meanwhile, Marston’s will next month partner with darts world number one and 2024 PDC world champion Luke Humphries to launch the Cool Hand Cup – in which players will compete to beat his time playing ‘around the clock’ at participating Marston’s pubs. The best two players from each region will get the opportunity to face off against Luke Humphries in the grand final on 28 March.

Esquires owner reports UK sales up 34%, expects to hit 100-store mark by end of 2025: Cooks Coffee Company, owner of the Esquires brand, has reported UK sales rose 34% in the nine months to 31 December 2024 and said it expects to hit the 100-store mark by end of 2025. Group store sales for the period were up 26.2% at £25.5m, with UK store sales up 33.8% at £17.7m and Ireland store sales up 11.9% at £7.8m. Like-for-like sales were up 2.8% in the UK and 5.1% in Ireland. In the 13 Weeks to 31 December 2024, the company saw overall growth of 32.4%, with UK growth of 36.5% and Ireland achieving growth of 23.9%. The group had 87 sites in the UK and Ireland at 31 December 2024, up from 71 at 31 December 2023. A strong pipeline of new stores is in place, with more than six further outlets expected to open before the end of the financial year. The group said it continued to have positive operating cash flow, underpinned by strong trading momentum, while the board and finance department has been strengthened with appointment of Katherine Scott as chief financial officer. Chief executive Aiden Keegan said: “We are proud to see strong sales growth across our existing coffee stores and newest locations. The performance in FY25 so far highlights the incredible dedication of our team and the passion of our regional developers and franchise partners. As previously reported, the pipeline of new stores is solid and the company expects that it will continue to grow the number of Esquires outlets operating in UK & Ireland by the end of March 2025, and we expect to have more than 100 stores operating by the end of 2025. Given the strong trading momentum in the business, we remain confident about the future prospects of the group and view the future with optimism.”

Buns From Home kicks off 2025 pipeline with double opening including first train station location: Buns from Home, the independent London bakery brand, has kicked off its 2025 pipeline with a double opening including its first ever first train station location. It has opened within a railway arch at Kings Cross station and at 15 Water Road in Hawley Wharf, Camden. The business now has 19 sites across the capital and will travel south of the river for the first time for its next opening, in Waterloo. “Oh hi 2025! We’re back with a bang!” the company posted to social media. “We’ve just opened not one but two new bakeries in some iconic london spots – places we truly never imagined we would make it to. You can now find us nestled in the madness of bustling Camden Town in a truly incredible railway arch site – right by London’s most famous street market, and at Kings Cross, our first ever train station location – complete with a view of Harry Potter’s 9¾. Can’t believe we’re saying this, but that makes bakery number 19. Crazy to think five years after Barney’s (Goff – founder) experiment in his mum’s kitchen first came to life, we’d have opened bakeries in these iconic cultural landmarks. Our next stop? Have you heard of Waterloo?” Earlier this month, Propel revealed that Shereen Ritchie is to step down as Buns from Home chief executive after a year in the role, having initially joined the business as chief operating officer in 2023. Founder Barney Goff will step into the role being vacated by Ritchie.